History

OL Jared Biard will play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday Jan. 18

Dec. 20, 2013

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – On Friday afternoon Colorado State seniors Shaquil Barrett and Jared Biard accepted invitations to play in the East-West Shrine Game and the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, respectively.

Barrett, who will join teammate Crockett Gillmore in the all-star game, has racked up 74 tackles in 13 starts, including a Mountain West record 20.5 tackles for loss, which ranks fourth nationally. Barrett also ranks third in the NCAA FBS with 12 sacks.

“To be invited is a real honor,” Barrett said. “When I was in 12th grade we went down to the Shriners Hospital and I really enjoyed the people I met down there. The East-West Shrine Game represents something more than football. I would love to be able to help that in anyway because I love what they are doing down there and being with the kids. On the football field it is another opportunity to compete against high-level talent and to prove yourself.”

Just under two weeks ago, the native of Baltimore, Md., was named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.

This will mark the first time since 2009 that the Rams place multiple players into the East-West Shrine Bowl. That season CSU’s Klint Kubiak, Cole Pemberton and Shelley Smith participated in the all-star event.

Biard, a native of League City, Texas, will be the first Ram since Paul Madsen in 2011 to participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

Biard is a key cog in a veteran offensive front for a unit that is on pace for the highest total offensive yards per game average (461.2) and most single-season yards (5,996) and has the second-most points in a single season (459) and single-season touchdowns (58).

Running behind the 6-foot-7, 315-pound right tackle, the Rams have racked up at least 225 yards in eight of CSU’s 13 contests. CSU averaged 202.7 rushing yards per game, the most by a Rams rushing attack since 2002 (205.7).

These two seniors will have one final game in the green and gold as they take on Washington State tomorrow in the 2013 Gildan New Mexico Bowl. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. MT and fans can find the game nationally on ESPN.